DAHI VADA

The Hindu blood in me rises up every once in a while and I crave for pure vegetarian food! Yes ! It's true, just plain simple vegetarian food! Well, maybe not so plain and simple, because I like everything spicy and tangy. Kind of like a giant chaat party!

This is one of the many dishes my Parsi mother mastered in our Hindu house hold. During her recent visit here, I begged her to teach me how to make Dahi Vada. I always thought it would be tedious and tough, but surprisingly, it was simple and fun to make!

This makes a great starter for a party.

For 15 people

1 1/2 cups challa vali moog dal ( split green lentils) ( picture attached)

1 1/2 cup white urad dal or matpe lentil ( not the black split kind) ( picture attached )

Mix both and  Soak overnight

4 green chilies

Half bunch coriander leaves

1 inch adu

Salt to taste

1 ts jeera powder

1/2 ts red chili powder

Oil to deep fry.

1 big pot of Luke warm water to dunk the fried vandas in.

2 cups dahi, beaten with salt to taste

consistancy of paste in pictures below. I HAVE STILL TO ADD THE CORRIANDER TO THIS.

spoon measure for vada.

For chutney ( khajoor aamli chutney )

3/4 cup jaggery

1/2 cup tamarind deseeded( soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then remove)

1/2 cup dates chopped deseeded ( soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then remove)

1/2 ts red chili

Salt to taste. 1 pinch only

Soak all of the above with 1 cup water for 1 hour

Put in mixer and make paste.

Sieve the paste to remove any threads etc from tamarind.

Add salt to taste.1 pinch.

Method

Wash of all the seed coverings ( chilkas) from the moong dal and urad dal mixture.

Grind to a smooth paste with very little water.( as little as possible to make thick paste)

Add the green chilies to this in mixer.  Not coriander.

Then Mix in finely chopped coriander into the paste.

Heat oil in a kadahi. (Pot)

With a round shaped table spoon measure size spoon, pick the batter and fry the in hot oil till it becomes slightly golden. Turn the vada.

Remove the vada from frying wok into a big pot that has Luke warm water in it.

Fry all the batter into round vadas like this.

Put directly into water. The vadas will become bigger in size.

After half an hour remove each vada one by one and squeeze out excess water between palms of your hand. Not too hard or they will break. But remove most of the water out.

Arrange them in serving platter.

Then beat the yogurt with salt to taste and little water and chili powder and ground jeera cumin powder.

Pour dahi mixture over the vadas in the serving dish.

Pour the red chutney on top of that.

Sprinkle red chili powder and chopper coriander on top.

Chill in fridge for two hours before serving.

Enjoy!!!